George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0405.
George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0405;
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 Dec 4;115(49):12377-12382. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1809544115. Epub 2018 Nov 19.
The cat tongue is covered in sharp, rear-facing spines called papillae, the precise function of which is a mystery. In this combined experimental and theoretical study, we use high-speed film, grooming force measurements, and computed tomography (CT) scanning to elucidate the mechanism by which papillae are used to groom fur. We examine the tongues of six species of cats from domestic cat to lion, spanning 30-fold in body weight. The papillae of these cats each feature a hollow cavity at the tip that spontaneously wicks saliva from the mouth and then releases it onto hairs. The unique shape of the cat's papillae may inspire ways to clean complex hairy surfaces. We demonstrate one such application with the tongue-inspired grooming (TIGR) brush, which incorporates 3D-printed cat papillae into a silicone substrate. The TIGR brush experiences lower grooming forces than a normal hairbrush and is easier to clean.
猫舌头上覆盖着尖锐的、向后的刺状突起，称为乳头，其确切功能仍是个谜。在这项结合了实验和理论的研究中，我们使用高速摄影、梳理力测量和计算机断层扫描（CT）扫描来阐明乳头用于梳理毛发的机制。我们研究了六种猫科动物的舌头，从家猫到狮子，其体重跨度达 30 倍。这些猫的乳头在尖端都有一个空心腔，它会自发地从口腔吸取唾液，然后将其释放到毛发上。猫乳头的独特形状可能为清洁复杂的多毛表面提供灵感。我们通过舌状梳理（TIGR）刷展示了一种这样的应用，该刷子将 3D 打印的猫乳头整合到硅酮基底中。TIGR 刷的梳理力比普通发刷小，且更容易清洁。
